2027 Best Value General Materials Engineering Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
[General Materials Engineering](/majors/engineering/materials-engineering/general-materials-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general materials engineering education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general materials engineering students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value General Materials Engineering Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general materials engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Materials Engineering Schools
For return on investment in general materials engineering, no school beat Metropolitan State College Of Denver this year. Set in the city of Denver, Metropolitan State College Of Denver is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,124, compared with $30,684 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,484 to complete the general materials engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general materials engineering degree recipients from Metropolitan State College Of Denver generally make around $44,861. That is a strong return on a $27,484 median debt. The acceptance rate is 99%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Utah earned it the #2 place for general materials engineering. Set in the city of Salt Lake City, University Of Utah is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,620 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $30,860. General Materials Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,798 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general materials engineering degree recipients from University Of Utah generally make around $60,527. Set against $20,798 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Utah admits about 86% of applicants.
Boise State University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value general materials engineering schools. Boise State University is a very large public school located in the city of Boise. In-state tuition and fees average $9,048, while out-of-state students pay about $27,788. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the general materials engineering program here. Early-career general materials engineering graduates make about $49,059. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Colorado Boulder earned it the #4 place for general materials engineering. Located in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,214, with out-of-state students paying around $42,970. Students borrow a median of $20,373 to complete the general materials engineering program here. Early-career general materials engineering graduates make about $55,861. That is a strong return on a $20,373 median debt. University Of Colorado Boulder admits about 78% of applicants.
Colorado School Of Mines is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general materials engineering, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Golden, Colorado School Of Mines is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,914, while out-of-state students pay about $45,824. Students borrow a median of $24,521 to complete the general materials engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general materials engineering degree recipients from Colorado School Of Mines generally make around $76,298. That is a strong return on a $24,521 median debt. Colorado School Of Mines admits about 61% of applicants.
Narrow General Materials Engineering Schools by State
More General Materials Engineering Rankings
View All General Materials Engineering Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
